Life of a Shinobi
by Juntaine
Summary: Sequel. Atsuko now lives in Konoha and has proven herself loyal enough to attend the Academy. What follows is her attempt to make a new life, train to become genin, then chunin and beyond. Victories, defeats, friendships, and horrible losses. All set to the background of the original story. Expect to see many old faces, and many original characters.
1. Graduation

**Greetings! This is my sequel to "All I Have Is Yours," which introduced my OC, Atsuko. It has been some time since the last story, maybe a month or two. Upon her agreement to live in Konoha, she was still under slight suspicion, so her path to becoming a shinobi is more difficult. She was required to attend the Academy to familiarize herself with how the shinobi work in Konoha. Since she'd already had some basic training, she picked things up fast and had little trouble moving through the classes quickly. She may have shared her knowledge with other students...**

**This story picks up with graduation, and life after the Academy. I'm using a different approach than I normally do: typically I write the entire story then put it up on FFN but this time, I'm going to try putting it up as I go. I have a general idea of where I'm going and certain things I want to happen, but who knows what happens in between? We'll just have to see.**

**My goal is to take this through her stint as a genin, the chunin exams and her subsequent (likely) promotion, and what happens after that with her friends. At the same time, the Naruto universe keeps going and she will be in Konoha by the time Naruto returns. She'll likely be involved somehow in all the major Konoha events after that. In the meantime, keep an eye out for familiar faces, as it were. Expect Genma, Iruka, and probably other characters. Most of the main characters will be of my own creation, so again, if you don't like OC's, then this probably isn't for you.**

**Please review, let me know what you think. I think it's off to a great start, but I'd appreciate any input that would help give me ideas.**

* * *

"…and that's the basic principle behind the jutsu," finished the instructor with a flourish of chalk. Iruka glanced behind him at his class. Half of them were staring out the window, a handful had fallen asleep, and the rest were either passing notes or whispering to each other. He sighed. It was late afternoon and the end of the school term was nearly an hour away.

"All right," he said finally, tossing the chalk. "I know a lost cause when I see one. Close your notebooks and go home." With a combined cheer, there was a sudden flurry of movement as the children crammed their way through the classroom door. "Just don't forget to attend your graduation tomorrow!" he added loudly.

In moments the room was empty save for one person in the back, a young woman who remained seated.

"Not going to join the others, Atsuko?" Iruka asked as he began collecting notebooks left on the desks.

Atsuko laughed. "I'm a little old for that," she replied and began helping him. Atsuko was fifteen, several years older than her classmates. Iruka watched her for a few moments.

"You know, I think this year I had the best average scores since I started teaching here," he said. Atsuko gave no reply. "I've never had so many students perform this well in a single term."

Iruka saw the corner of her mouth curl up. "I'm glad. I realize the process is supposed to be more selective, to let only the best graduate, but we need all the ninja we can have trained and out in the field."

"You've thought a lot about this, I see."

She shrugged. "I've overheard some conversations. Also any village that receives an attack like Orochimaru's would have suffered a severe loss of trained ninja."

"That is a valid concern, and it is to your credit that you recognize it as such. The fact that you took that a step further and personally tutored those who wished to improve speaks to your character." He gave her a wide comforting smile. "You will make a fine ninja."

Atsuko's cheeks colored and she stared at the floor awkwardly. "Thank you, Iruka-sensei."

"Well, you are graduating tomorrow," he reminded her, "then you'll be a genin and it will only be a matter of time before you make chunin."

"Graduation," she repeated slowly as her face brightened. "One step closer to calling myself a ninja of the Leaf."

"You've earned it, but the title comes with a difficult path. So far you've proved to us that you're capable. Now you must learn to fulfill your potential and become greater." He gestured for her come closer. "Now give me those notebooks and enjoy the rest of your day."

Relieved of her burden, she threw him a smile as she left the room. "Thank you, sensei, for everything. I'll become a great shinobi!"

=/=

Graduation was a bit awkward. Ignoring that she was by far the oldest graduate, the fact remained that the ceremony was for the benefit of the parents and to a lesser degree to show the villagers another generation of young ninja on their way to inheriting the fate of Konoha. It was sort of hard to get into the spirit when you had no parents and weren't even from Konoha.

Nobody would have prevented her from skipping—and she almost had—but in the end she decided to attend. She thought about doing it for her father; he would have attended, had he still been alive, but he wouldn't have needed a ceremony to be proud of her. She even thought that she could show those who had initially doubted her how far she'd come, but everyone had been remarkably kind, probably out of ignorance of her origins, and she couldn't think of anyone in particular who didn't believe she could do it. So, in the end, she came for herself. She had nothing to prove to anyone but herself—she'd learned that from Naruto. That boy with the incredible strength had helped her out of the darkness caused by her father's death and the loss of everything she'd known. Now she had her dream, which was to become a shinobi and call Konoha home. Today she would wear her headband proudly, proclaiming herself a genin. She was one step closer to her dream.

The whole thing was over by midday. Apart from a nice inspirational (in a sort of scary way) speech by the Fifth Hokage, and the scores of beaming faces in the crowd, everything went by in an unimportant blur. Her headband was tied securely around her forehead, giving her such pride that she never wanted to take it off, and everything else faded into the background.

While the graduates mingled with the parents at the conclusion, Atsuko slipped away to enjoy her success in solitude. Tomorrow she would join her 3-man team and begin the next step of her training.

"Skipping out on the post-graduation party? Jeez," said a voice. Atsuko spun and saw a shinobi with a senbon in his mouth leaning casually against a tree.

"Genma! What are you doing here?"

"You left too abruptly for me to give you this," he replied, handing her a small package.

Atsuko accepted the package, feeling her cheeks warm. She'd assumed no one would care if she graduated. But Genma had been there at the beginning and had played a critical role in her decision to become a shinobi. She was ashamed that she hadn't expected him to be interested in her progress.

The package wasn't very large and lacked the hardness or corners of a box. She unwrapped the plain brown paper and found inside a standard shinobi equipment pouch. The fabric was sturdy and the interior was already packed full with kunai knives, smoke bombs, shuriken, and every tool a shinobi would need.

"Thank you," she said, surprised at how overwhelmed she felt by his gift. It was plain and useful, but the fact that he had been the one to give it to her made it all that more meaningful.

Genma remained stern looking but she saw the corner of his mouth turn up as he nodded his acknowledgement. "Do you know how to use them?"

"Yes."

He nodded towards a tree several meters away. "Show me."

She knew Genma had seen her rudimentary skills when they had fought the Sound assassin together. Since then, she'd practiced, knowing full well the importance of an accurate throw of a weapon. She'd been in the upper percentile of her class.

First she attached the pouch to her waist. Then she removed four shuriken, each one on a finger through the hole in the middle. Crossing her arms in front of her, she took a deep breath and threw all of them at once. They slammed into the tree, forming a tidy line down the trunk. Then removing eight kunai knives, she performed the same maneuver. The knives formed two parallel lines of four, flanking her shuriken. She turned to Genma proudly but his face was impassive.

"Do it again while running towards the target."

She did as he asked. The lines weren't as neat, but the pattern was preserved. Without comment, Genma then had her attack the tree from above, had her change the pattern they made on the trunk, and a dozen other criteria that she managed to meet. She began to feel the strain of a workout but she maintained her concentration and level of intensity, doing everything Genma asked of her.

She didn't dare ask when to stop. She knew he was testing her and she wanted to impress him with how much she'd grown.

Finally, her muscled tired and her breathing started becoming ragged, Genma put up a hand.

"That's enough for now. Gather your weapons and let's go back to the village."

She'd expected some other kind of test when they exited the forest, but Genma led her to a restaurant where he bought both of them lunch. His field test had been extensive and it was far into the afternoon, as her stomach reminded her. Still, Genma's presence confused her. He was a jonin and wasn't even an instructor of any sort, so she couldn't understand why he was putting her through these tests.

They ate in silence, for which she was grateful, hungry as she was. She'd been curious if he would eat with the senbon still in his mouth, but he'd soundly stuck it upright in the wood table as they ate.

Finally, after pushing the empty dishes out of the way, the senbon went back in his mouth and he put his elbows on the table, fingers crossed in front of his face so only his eyes showed.

"You've taken your promise to become a shinobi seriously," he said.

"It is my dream," she replied.

"Your weapon skills are adequate and Iruka has spoken well of your ability to learn and retain information. Who is going to be your jonin teacher?"

"Hayama Shirakuma."

Genma nodded. "I know him. Shirakuma is quiet and good at strategy. You will get along with him. Do you know the other two genin?"

Shaking her head she said, "Iruka-sensei told me that considering my skills and age I was joining an established team since they are closer to my age and they lost one of their team members recently."

"I see. That is good for you; you need to be around others your age and with similarly developed abilities. Have you learned any other jutsus besides your chakra shield?"

"I've been able to better control and manipulate the shield but most of my effort was put into my classes and improving my weapons skills."

"Also tutoring other students," added Genma, his hands still obscuring his face.

She frowned. "Iruka-sensei told you, didn't he?"

"It was not a criticism. Being able to teach means you understand how to do it well."

Atsuko blushed and said nothing.

Genma continued. "What element are you?" When she shrugged he grunted. "It is a disadvantage that you don't know your lineage, but not necessary. However, finding your affinity will allow you to learn stronger families of jutsus." He unlaced his fingers. "Meet me back by the tree in ten minutes."


	2. Genin Team

Genma held up a small palm-sized piece of paper. "Do you know what this is?"

"It's how you determine what element you have affinity for. I have to activate my chakra and what the paper does in response indicates what element; wind, fire, earth, water or lightning."

Satisfied, Genma handed her the paper. Taking it she felt simultaneously nervous and excited. With all five fingers touching the paper, she closed her eyes and activated her chakra. After a moment she opened her eyes and saw that the paper was wet.

"Water," noted Genma pensively. "Interesting. Now, show me what you've done to improve your chakra shield."

Obligingly Atsuko immediately created a neat oval shield that matched her height and width. It was a transparent blue that shimmered with the chakra energy of which it was composed.

"I've learned to shape the edges more precisely and I've figured out how to change its size." To demonstrate, she increased the shield to twice its size and then shrank it down to the size of a plate.

"Good," said Genma, nodding in approval. "That can come in useful. Can you create one in each hand?"

She shook her head.

"Hmm," he muttered. Then suddenly he spat his senbon at her, the metal needle flying towards her face in an instantaneous blur.

Had she not been practicing her shield, she probably wouldn't have thought to use it. But she did; her reflexes allowed her to throw up a shield large enough to cover her face just in time for the senbon to bounce off the glowing chakra field.

Her heart pounded and her lungs were suddenly empty of air as she thought of how close that had been.

Genma, however, looked pleased. "Good. You have the makings of an excellent defense."

"Did you have to aim at my face?" she asked, irritated.

With an unapologetic shrug, Genma replied, "Best way to test your reflexes. As you no doubt have noticed, I've been conducting a comprehensive test to see where you stand in terms of physical and chakra-based abilities. You certainly have the potential to progress further.

"Because of the shortage of jonin, Shirakumo will rarely be able to participate in many missions with your genin team. He will not be able to help with your individual training. Since I'm familiar with your skills, I'll be able to fulfill that role. However, I will also be absent often, so the burden is on you to complete what tasks I assign you. The path towards becoming a shinobi only gets harder. Each step requires greater strength, both physically and mentally. You will be pushed to your breaking point and then beyond. I will give you tasks that you can work on during and between your missions. This is how you will learn and create new jutsus. Your missions will teach you tactics, situational awareness, and teamwork where you will eventually be able to apply your new abilities."

Atsuko nodded slowly. "What jutsus will I be learning?"

"To start with, your chakra shield is decidedly useful, as I have said. If you can infuse it with your element, water, you will have an even stronger and malleable defense. After that, there are any number of water-based jutsus you can learn or develop on your own," he explained. "Eventually you can learn to use a second element, but that is advanced jonin-level. It's not worth thinking about now."

"So," Atsuko said, "you're going to be like my personal tutor." She grinned. "I can call you Genma-sensei!"

Genma winced. "Jeez." But she saw the corner of his mouth twist into a hint of a smile.

=/=

Early the next morning Atsuko waited by the village gate. Shirakumo-sensei had left a message for her to join his team there: they'd already been assigned to a mission for that day and jumping right in would be the best way for her to become acquainted with the team and they her.

The sky was clear, the weather warm and Atsuko had Genma's pouch attached to her waist and her new set of senbon tied around her right thigh. Physically she was ready but mentally…

Finally from the village she saw three figures approaching. The tallest wore a short-sleeved version of the jonin uniform with his protector wrapped around his forehead. His steel grey hair was pulled into a high pony tail and his eyes were a weary but narrowed black.

"You must be Atsuko," said Shirakumo. "Good. I appreciate punctuality."

One of his companions, a young man with spiky black hair snorted and pushed his glasses up higher on his nose.

The second, a girl Atsuko's age with unruly red-brown hair, narrowed her eyes in response and slammed her elbow into the boy's side. He grunted then threw her a glare as he adjusted his glasses again.

Shirakumo sighed. "I'll introduce your team. This is Toshikazu Gisuke, our medical ninja." The young man nodded politely but with an aloof aire about him. "This troublemaker is Zensaku Yukina. She's loud, obnoxious, and perpetually late." Yukina grinned and waved. "These two constantly provoke each other. I expect you to help me maintain the peace."

His tone was so serious and weary that Atsuko struggled not to smile. "You can count on me, sensei."

Yukina groaned dramatically but Shirakumo ignored her. "Good. Let's go, we have a substantial journey ahead of us."

=/=

Along the way Shirakumo explained their mission. It was a C-ranked escort for a merchant from Fire Country to the Land of Wind. The main threat was from thieves; there wasn't any expectation of enemy ninja being involved. There was a second part to the mission, too, as they were to deliver a letter from the Hokage to the new Kazekage, Gaara of the Sand. The letter was to further cement relations between the two shinobi villages.

The merchant lived on the edge of Fire Country which meant they had a full day's walk ahead of them. So Atsuko had plenty of time to get to know her teammates.

Yukina was the most outgoing of all of them. Loud and talkative, Atsuko could tell Gisuke and Shirakumo had given up on getting her to be quiet. But Yukina was no stranger to combat and carried a tanto attached to her lower back that she was well versed in using lethally. There was also a raw ferocity behind her green eyes that told Atsuko she was a force to be reckoned with. She was a fire user and was learning from Shirakumo how to use it in conjunction with her tanto.

Gisuke was the complete opposite of Yukina. Quiet and reserved, he was one of the first medical ninja trainees to be assigned to a genin team. His training was still incomplete, though, and he was still learning from a medical ninja instructor like Atsuko was learning from Genma. In addition to his healing skills, Gisuke was also a sensor type that could detect and distinguish chakra. He also apparently had some talent with genjutsu. All this made him extremely confident, however, and he was constantly pushing his glasses further up his nose in a decidedly snobbish manner. It seemed mostly directed at Yukin, however, with whom he constantly bantered and argued with. He seemed to have reserved judgment for Atsuko.

While Yukina and Gisuke were having one of their arguments, Atsuko took the opportunity to walk next to Shirakumo.

"Have they always been like that?" she asked.

"Since their Academy days," he affirmed. "They constantly go at it, but they've learned to stop when necessary. They make a good team when they're serious."

"I hope I can learn to fit in," she said.

"You will, after you've had time and experience. You will learn how to complement each other's strengths and account for each other's faults." A strange look of pain crossed his face.

"What is it?"

Shirakumo glanced behind them at Yukina and Gisuke, who had stopped speaking to each other in a silent stalemate.

"It is nothing," he replied tersely. And the conversation was over.

* * *

Shirakumo was in one of the fillers later in the anime, if you want to see what he looks like. It was the one with the old genin man.


	3. First Mission

They arrived at the merchant's house after dark. The merchant and his wife showed them to their rooms as they would leave for Wind Country in the morning. Shirakumo and Gisuke were given a room separate from Atsuko and Yukina. This gave Atsuko the opportunity to talk to Yukina one on one.

"I love travelling," Yukina said as they lay their packs against the wall. "Seeing new places, trying new things. Have you travelled much?"

Atsuko paused. "Not really." Best not to spring her Sound-country origins just yet. "I am excited, though. Finally getting out into the world."

Yukina smiled sympathetically. "I remember my first mission. I was so excited but very nervous about my performance and leaving the village for the first time. One minute I could take on anything, the next I wanted to hide under my bed and hoped it was a dream."

Nodding, Atsuko was surprised Yukina had the capacity to be nervous, but what she described was exactly how Atsuko felt.

"Shirakumo-sensei told us you've had a little bit of combat experience. What happened?"

Atsuko told her the truth, only emitting anything that hinted at her and her father's origins, as well as any connection he had with Orochimaru. When Atsuko mentioned her chakra shield, Yukina leaned forward.

"A pure chakra shield? Can you show me?"

Atsuko obliged with a small version. Yukina stared, analyzing it from every angle then reached out to touch it. She jerked her hand back, but out of surprise rather than fear. She reached out again, marveling.

"I can feel it, it feels like warm metal. It's strong. I'd love to be able to practice my fire sword with it. That is, if you don't mind," Yukina added hopefully.

Atsuko smiled. "Sure. I haven't been able to really use it in combat since then. Well, except for when Genma-sense spat a senbon at me yesterday."

"Genma?" asked Yukina. "So that's what his name is. We always called him the Senbon Ninja. What's he like? Does he always have a senbon in his mouth?"

Laughing, Atsuko said, "Yes, he always has one in his mouth. He's very serious but he seems a strong ninja." She allowed herself a smile, thinking about how she was one of the few who knew enough about Genma to talk about him. Oh, but he wouldn't like it. "But I think it's time to eat."

With a promise extracted from her to share everything about her chakra shield and about Genma later, the two girls headed for the kitchen, Atsuko warm and content with the prospect of friendship.

=/=

The meal was simple, but the merchant and his wife were kind. The evening was filled with laughter as the merchant, Yuudai, told funny stories about the people he had met on his travels.

"There's getting to be more and more trouble with thieves on the roads," Yuudai said after they were done eating. "They've always been a problem but lately they're becoming more aggressive, setting elaborate traps. It's getting to the point where I cannot look for and avoid traps while minding my cart. We'll run into them at least once, I figure. But they'll probably be no match for you."

"What sort of weapons do they have?" asked Shirakumo.

"Anything from swords to scavenged ninja weapons. On that front, I'd expect anything. As for how they use those weapons," he shrugged. "It depends on who uses them."

"Can you give us an idea of how many thieves we might expect?" asked Gisuke.

Yuudai thought for a moment. "Most reports I've heard have been one or two, but three or four is not unheard of. These reports are weeks old, though, and circumstances have made life more difficult since then. They may be banding into larger groups to survive."

Yukina shifted. "You sound almost sorry for them."

The merchant sighed and glanced at his wife, who was washing dishes. "It is not their fault that times are rough around here. Most of them are young, no older than you three. They simply do not know any better. However," he added, his tone taking on a harder edge, "the choice to steal from an honest person is inexcusable. I only ask that my goods remain protected and my journey unhindered. How you accomplish that, I leave in your hands."

=/=

Shirakumo called a quick meeting in the boy's room before they went to bed.

"Since we now have Atsuko," he began, "the group dynamic will change. Gisuke can sense chakra, so he'll be in front. Yukina had a sharp eye and quick battle reflexes, she'll look for traps, possible ambushes, and the like. I will use my katana and Wind to back up any offensive or defensive action. Atsuko can back up with her chakra shield, so she'll stay behind with me. Remember," he added, holding up a finger, "this isn't only about protecting one merchant. We are showing these thieves that their actions will no longer be tolerated."

"Yeah, Team Shirakumo!" shouted Yukina, thrusting her fist into the air.

"Be quiet, Yukina! Everyone else is sleeping!" hissed Gisuke.

"How dare you…" Yukina started to say but Shirakumo suddenly reached out to grab her by her shirt, preventing her from diving onto Gisuke.

"Just go to bed, Yukina. Jeez, you're louder than a siren!"


	4. First Mission: First Hurdle

The next morning they were on the road by dawn. It would have been even later had Atsuko not kept Yukina to task. That earned her a nod of approval from Shirakumo and a sigh of disappointment from Gisuke who had nothing to tease Yukina for.

Yuudai already had his oxen and cart ready and they were on the road quickly. The air was cool but as the sun rose it became comfortably warm. Yuudai allowed them to take turns riding the cart; there was a spot on the back where two people could sit. Shirakumo, however, abstained, letting the three genin have their chance. Atsuko was almost ashamed to take her turn—it seemed an unnecessary convenience—but they were still in the safety of Fire Country and whoever was walking up front could call for assistance.

It was a beautiful day and passing through the forest on the back of a cart was quite peaceful. Atsuko had two turns in a row on the cart and it was Yukina's turn beside her.

Yukina was clearly enjoying herself. She was happy and smiled so broadly that Atsuko couldn't help but smile too.

"I almost wasn't a ninja, you know," Yukina said suddenly. "I've lived in Konoha my whole life but my parents weren't too keen on me joining the Academy. My father's side of the family had all been ninjas, even the women. They weren't the most powerful shinobi, but they were loyal. So loyal that both my grandparents gave their lives for the village. My was young, about my age. It affected him deeply. He married a villager and gave up every intention of continuing his ninja training. Of course when I was old enough to know what a shinobi was, I decided that's what I wanted to become." She grimaced. "My dad and I fought over it constantly. He'd hoped that he'd broken the link between his family and the ninja way, but I couldn't help what I wanted. My mother supported me, and I'm sure she's the one who was able to get him to relent. She didn't particularly want me to be a ninja either, but she accepted that it was my choice. My father eventually came around when I graduated with excellent grades." The grimace became a sad smile. "He was only afraid that he would lose me like he lost his parents. I didn't really understand that until he was gone."

"What happened?" Atsuko asked.

"He was killed when Orochimaru attacked during the Chuunin exams. The building he was in collapsed on him."

Atsuko's heart stopped for a moment as she was reminded of her own father. She wanted to tell Yukina, but she was still afraid.

Yukina, however, had missed nothing. "I know there's something about you that you're holding back. I won't ask what it is because it doesn't matter—we're a team now, and all that matters is what you do now. When you're ready, I'll listen." She gave her a wide comforting grin. "We are Team Shirakumo, after all!"

Later in the afternoon when Atsuko had another turn in the cart, the weather was even warmer. The sun made it hard to stay awake and she had been unable to lure Gisuke into conversation. The cart suddenly rolled to a stop, startling her.

Gisuke was alert and she saw his hand stray to his pouch. "Be ready," he said quietly. "Yukina must have found the first trap."

=/=

Atsuko and Gisuke joined Shirakumo and Yukina by the front of the cart while Yuudai looked on nervously.

"It's right there." Yukina pointed at the road. "A trip line. It would have tangled the legs of anything that walked over it."

"Is it to alert the enemy of a potential target?" asked Atsuko.

Yukina nodded. "They could already know. Do you sense anything Gisuke?"

Gisuke closed his eyes and pressed his fingers together. After a moment he opened his eyes and released his hands. "I don't sense anyone. But they could be out of range."

"Can we remove the trap without alerting the enemy?" suggested Atsuko.

"The problem is the cart and the oxen—we need to think of a way to get them over the wire without changing the tension." Yukina frowned and stared at the wire. Shirakumo remained silent, evidently allowing them to solve the problem on their own.

"I can think of two options: either we place something over the wire so the oxen and cart can't touch it, or we somehow remove the wire without affecting its tension down the line," offered Gisuke. "Or we ignore it and prepare an ambush."

"Hmm," muttered Yukina. "Atsuko, could you create a shield over the wire that they could walk over?"

"I don't think so. It would be an awkward angle and I'm not sure I could hold it steady enough to keep it from touching the wire."

"Too bad none of us are Earth-users. Ah well. Let me look at how it's put together." Yukina followed the line into the bushes.

After a moment they heard a loud laugh.

"Ha! How unlucky for them!" She came out with a wide grin on her face. "It's drawn through a metal loop which allows the wire flexibility when disturbed but also allows them to bring the wire parallel to the road. That means they're likely based somewhere ahead of us. I'll use my Fire Sword technique to weld part of the wire to the loop so that I can sever it without the wire moving."

"That will require steady hands," Gisuke pointed out.

"Yes, and someone else will have to hold the wire on the other side until I can do the same to it. You should do that, Gisuke. You should have the steadiest hands, being a medical ninja. Sorry, Atsuko," added Yukina with an apologetic smile. "Not sure you can help with this one."

"That's all right. It just means I get to be useful later," she responded cheerfully.

Yukina and Gisuke vanished into the brush to find the wire. They could hear Yukina giving quiet instructions then she emerged and crossed the road to the other side.

Atsuko turned to Shirakumo. "Isn't a flame sword a bit much for a job this delicate?"

"Her flame jutsu can be applied to more than just swords," he responded cryptically.

Atsuko thought she saw a flash in the bushes, but it was only for a moment. Yukina crossed the road to Gisuke. After a moment they emerged together.

"All done," announced Yukina cheerfully. "The enemy should have no idea we're here." The wire lay lax on the ground.

"At least until the next trap," added Gisuke grimly. Yukina pressed her lips into a similarly grim line and said nothing.

"Well, we'll just have to keep our eyes on the road and our senses primed," said Yuudai, grabbing the reins. "Best we move on."


	5. First Mission: Conflict

**Hi all, sorry for delays. My thesis is due soon, so I've been trying to pump out a 20 page lit review while still preparing to collect more data. Ah, science. However, I've been keeping up on the manga and I really really miss this universe so I'm still working on it, but updates will still be far between. **

**As always, reviews make me happy, or alerts, or whatever. Anything that indicates someone is reading it and doesn't feel like they're wasting their time.**

* * *

With this threat averted, further traps seemed imminent so Shirakumo had them assume the prearranged battle formation. Yukina and Gisuke took their place in front of the cart, thankfully quiet now that they had something to focus on besides each other.

That left Atsuko with Shirakumo. The jonin declined to ride on the cart again and Atsuko didn't want to appear weak in front of her sensei, so she walked beside him.

There was a deep feeling of apprehension forming in her stomach. Combat was imminent—something she hadn't really experienced. Last time she'd been carried by Naruto and Genma, only getting in a few shots by sheer luck. This time she had training and was better prepared, but untested.

"You're feeling apprehensive about this mission, aren't you," said Shirakumo. It was not a question. "It is to be expected. You are untested, especially to yourself. Just keep your head about you and let your training guide you."

"Yes, sir," she replied, but didn't really feel any better.

Suddenly the cart stopped and Shirakumo indicated she should follow him as he walked towards Yukina and Gisuke.

Gisuke's eyes were closed and his fingertips touching.

"How many?" whispered Shirakumo.

"Four. They are spreading out and approaching from all sides," Gisuke replied, his eyes still closed.

"Damn," muttered Yukina. "I must have missed something."

"Just tell me what to do," said Yuudai, reins in hand.

"Stay put until we assess the threat," answered Shirakumo. "But be ready to leave at any moment."

Yuudai nodded nervously.

They waited. Yukina made a move to grasp her tanto but with a glance at Shirakumo who shook his head, she let her hand drop to her side.

"Travelers of the highway," came a strong male voice from the forest. "Turn over your goods and you may pass unharmed."

"These goods are mine," replied Yuudai loudly. "They are not yours to take."

"An unfortunate choice," replied the voice. "It will only cause you trouble and pain. You are surrounded and at a disadvantage."

Simultaneously the four thieves that Gisuke had sensed emerged from the forest. At the same time all four of them moved to stand back-to-back, weapons out and pointed at the thieves.

"Shinobi, eh?" observed one of the thieves, sounding only mildly surprised. "You have foresight. However, we still have the advantage in position."

Each of the thieves had all sorts of knives and weapons tucked into their clothes and at a signal from the thief who'd spoken threw everything they had at the travelers with surprising accuracy. However, even an Academy student could deflect such throws and soon the ground was littered with the thieves' weapons in a clear circle around them.

"Impressive," said the leader when the air was clear. "But it changes nothing."

"This can end now with no one getting hurt," said Shirakumo. "Let us pass and nothing will come of this."

The leader's countenance changed with Shirakumo's offer. He became furious and with a snarl he raised his arm in the air. Everyone paused, expecting an attack, but none immediately came. In one moment, however, as she caught a glimpse of metal, Atsuko knew.

Flipping over her comrades, Atsuko landed on the cart's bench next to Yuudai. Simultaneously she created a chakra shield that she held between them and empty forest. Half a second later an enormous arrow slammed into her shield.

The force of the projectile knocked her back against the cart, but the shield held, deflecting the arrow into a tree which it pierced like an apple.

Yuudai stared at the other, mouth open. The others stared at Atsuko.

Furious his hidden weapon had been thwarted, the leader raised his other arm.

Each of the thieves pulled out a weapon—two pulled out long deadly katanas and one pulled out a pair of modified short axes covered with metal spikes. The leader pulled out a plain staff, but the smirk on his face led Atsuko to think that it was anything but plain.

"None have made it this far," said the leader. "However, we have not shown you our true skill yet. I'm eager to test ourselves against shinobi." With a mad grin, he leapt towards the small circle of shinobi, followed closely by his companions

"Yuudai! If you see an opening, go!" shouted Shirakumo as he blocked a sword swing with his katana.

Yuudai took a firm grip on the reins in answer, but the leader of the thieves yelled, "Whatever you do, don't let that cart move!"

The thief with the two axes was closest to the cart and leapt onto it, aiming his deadly weapons at Yuudai's head. The merchant tried to duck, but Atsuko blocked the blows with her shield then used her other hand to swing a kunai knife across the attacker's face. He leapt back, face bloodied, to fall off the cart and land on top of Gisuke.

Gisuke was quicker than the axe-thief, and with his hands glowing green with chakra, got off what seemed to be very precise contacts across the man's body. The axe-thief was slowed, but not stopped, and slowly began to rise. Gisuke made some quick hand signs and the man froze. As if paralyzed, he fell over and didn't move—only his eyes blinking and his chest rising and falling indicated he was still alive.

Shirakumo's opponent wasn't confident alone so he enlisted the other sword-user. Shirakumo was clam, his katana hanging loosely in his hand. One swung his sword, but it was easily deflected. The two shared a glance and began to attack together.

They were good—the two swordsmen clearly knew how to use their weapons and how to fight together. They attacked Shirakumo from both sides, attempting to find and then exploit his weak spots.

There were none.

Shirakumo moved like the wind. He spun, blocking every strike as if they weren't even moving. Brows furrowed, the two began to pick up their attack speed as they realized he was a difficult opponent.

Soon it became obvious they couldn't defeat him with mere swords. Before they could formulate a new plan, Shirakumo took a step back. They paused, confused. Suddenly the air around his katana glimmered with chakra.

Gisuke, having just defeated the axe thief, at least knew what was going on. "Get back!" he yelled.

Atsuko couldn't leave Yuudai, so she stood by him and created a shield, unsure of what Shirakumo was about to unleash.

Shirakumo brought his katana across the air in front of him in a great sweeping motion. It created a rush of air that knocked down everything in its path. The two swordsmen were blown into the trees, which had been torn from their trunks. Atsuko and Yuudai caught the edge of it, the shield blocking the debris that came rushing towards them.

When the wind died down, a crescent of bare ground littered with stumps was laid out in front of Shirakumo. There was no sign of the two swordsmen; only a single broken sword could be seen jutting out between the fallen trees.

Meanwhile, the leader with the staff went after Yukina. Perhaps he thought her an easy target.

His face was fixed in a smirk as he jumped down towards her. Yukina pulled out her tanto, gripping it solidly in her right hand and taking up a defensive posture.

The leader opened strongly, jabbing the staff at her face with a quick precise movement. When she ducked, he rotated the staff to knock her feet out from under her. But Yukina used her hand to balance herself as she managed to jump over the staff. The leader took advantage of her distraction and launched a kick at her. His foot impacted, throwing her to the ground where she skidded for over a meter. He did something to the staff and out of one end popped a blade.

Yukina was still on the ground, her face hidden as he swept the blade across her neck and face, but it was stopped by a sword sheathed in flames.

Unruly red-brown hair covered Yukina's eyes, hiding her face. But a change had occurred—even the leader of the thieves could see it—that he was not the more powerful of the two. Indeed as their two weapons touched, the flames surrounding the tonto were melting the staff's blade. The leader remained motionless, his confident expression turning to one of fear. Only as her tanto cut completely through and half of his blade fell to the ground did he flinch.

Yukina stood and with two lightning-fast strokes the staff fell to pieces in his hands. He stepped backwards out of instinct, trying to get away from the flaming weapon. Yukina held her sword out in a clearly offensive posture.

The leader was flat out scared. Atsuko didn't blame him; even from her perspective, the look on Yukina's face was terrifying.

Finally, breaking the tension, Yukina reached out with her free hand and grabbed the man's shirt, pulling him to her as he felt to his knees.

"Your men are defeated," she said. "Some are probably dead. Your scary band of thieves were defeated by genin. That's right. We're not even qualified shinobi. Next time, however, you may not get so lucky. Spread the word: the shinobi of Konoha are watching."

Yukina let go as the leader scrambled backwards until his back hit a stump. There he remained, eyes wide and locked on Yukina.

"Yuudai! Are you all right?" she called.

"I'm fine, and my goods remain untouched."

"Good. Let's keep moving. We wasted too much time here."


End file.
